Saturday Morning Muffins

I woke up this morning to the smell of fresh applesauce.  Mom and I spent 2 hours peeling, coring and chunking apples.  After a night in a roster oven they have been turned into applesauce.  The best part of fresh applesauce is fresh Muffins.  These muffins only have 2 ingredients and a joy to make.  Almost every kitchen keeps these ingredients in stock.

Applesauce Muffin
1 1/2 cups Applesauce
1 box Yellow or White Cake mix
Dash of Cinnamon (opt)
Dash of Cloves (opt)

Preheat oven to 350º F.
Line cupcake pan with with liners or grease pan.
Mix Applesauce, Cake mix and Spices together.
Fill cupcake pan.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Makes 1 dozen regular + 9 mini Muffins

Done! 

I always make mini muffins for the little guys around here.  They love them, partly because they can run and play while eating.  I like them to they are a perfect dessert with lunch.

Want to make different flavor?  Simply substitute any pureed fruit or veggie for the applesauce.  You may have to add up to another 1/2 cup of puree because of how dense the fruit is.  Same goes for the cake mix it can be substituted for chocolate, or spice.

Click here for the original recipe.

Breakfast Cake

I found this recipe on pintrest and it is amazing!  I've made this recipe 4 different ways.  Here is the original recipe from Alexandra's Kitchen.  Now here is my version.  I've made cherry, blackberry, and strawberry breakfast cakes.  With the Cherry Breakfast Cake I added about 1/2 tsp Almond Extract.  I'm sure this will work with an array of fruit.  Find a fruit in season and go crazy.  I like to use fresh ingredients as I'm sure we all do.  I have always made mine with fresh buttermilk.  I find that if you take the cream off of 1/2 gal of fresh raw milk it makes more then enough butter and buttermilk for this recipe.  Raise a few chickens for the fresh eggs and you can just imagine how delicious this can be!

Strawberry Breakfast Cake

Breakfast Cake
Serves 6-8
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
7/8 cup* + 1 tablespoon sugar**
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour (set aside 1/4 cup of this to toss with the fruit)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups fresh fruit
½ cup buttermilk

* 7/8 cup = 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
** This 1 tablespoon is for sprinkling on top

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with 7/8 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the cherries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the fruit.
4. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick to make sure it is done. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

I always have to make 2 pans, we just go through it that fast.  I'm sure this would be a wonderful recipe to take to a new mom or someone recovering from surgery.  ~Elizabeth